Natural Remedies for Menopause

On this page is a list of natural remedies for menopause which include herbal remedies for menopause. It also answers some of the common questions such as what is menopause, what are the common menopause symptoms, what are the causes of menopause and how long does menopause last.

Menopause is a natural condition just like menstruation. Menstruation indicates the start of a female's reproductive period when the ovary starts releasing an egg every month and produces estrogen. A year after the last menstrual flow, the ovary will already has totally stopped releasing eggs and the production of estrogen level has greatly reduced. This is menopause.

Almost all females will go through these two transitions in life. There is an exception though. Women who have their ovaries surgically removed because of damage or an illness have what is termed as surgical menopause or induced menopause.

The symptoms of menopause start between 2 to 5 years before the last menstruation and is known as perimenopause. It can happen between the ages of 40 to 53. Some of the early signs of menopause are changes in the menstrual cycle, the amount of menstrual flow and the symptoms of PMS or premenstrual syndrome. The menstrual cycle may last longer or shorter, the amount of menstrual flow may increase or decrease and the premenstrual symptoms may reduce or become more severe.

Symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, lack of sex drive, loss of breast fullness, night sweats, thinning hair and vaginal dryness. Many women also experience anxiety, depression, fatigue, mood swings, insomnia, increased abdominal fat and weight gain.

Some of these menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, hair loss and night sweats are a result of low estrogen level. While some other symptoms such as insomnia are not directly related to a decrease in estrogen level. The ovary also produces testosterone and at menopause, the production is also reduced and this is one of the reasons for a reduced libido or lack of sex drive.

After menopause which is 12 months since the last menstruation, some of the symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes may still continue between 2 to 3 years but are reduced. This is termed as post menopause.

Natural remedies for menopause No. 1 - Herbs for menopause

Since the ovary has greatly reduced the production of estrogen and testosterone, you may need to replace the shortages especially estrogen. The body needs estrogen to support other body tissues and bone mass. Studies have shown that low levels of estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer, heart disease in women, fracture, osteoporosis and stroke.

The fat tissue in the body contributes to the production of estrogen and the adrenal glands produce testosterone but they are still insufficient. Hormone therapy which comes as a pill, patch, injection, vaginal cream, tablet, or ring may provide menopause relief but there are side effects such as blood clots, breast cancer, heart disease and stroke. A better alternative is to use herbal menopause treatment or herbal menopause remedies.

Some of the best known herbs that have been used for decades as natural remedies for menopause are black cohosh root, dong quai and rhodiola rosea.

Click on the link for a whole list of herbs for menopause relief. These herbs have shown to mimic estrogen effect which means that they behave like estrogen. Taking these herbs also provide secondary benefits.

Natural remedies for menopause No. 2 - Menopause diet

1. Your menopause diet should include an increased amount of foods high in calcium such as almonds, low fat cheese, dandelion greens, mustard greens, sardines, salmon, soybean curd and skim milk and non-fat yogurt. Since estrogen production has greatly reduced, your bones need the calcium otherwise you will increase your risk of osteoporosis. If you believe that you aren't getting at least about 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, take calcium supplement.
   
   
   
2. Eat more vegetables and complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, corns, muesli, oats, potatoes and wholegrain breads. Reduce intake of animal protein and salt as they will deplete calcium and also increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. Soy is a good meat substitute.
   
   
   
3. Eat foods that contain isoflavones such as soybeans and legumes and those that contain lignans found in flaxseed and whole grains. You can also take natural isoflavones, lignans or phytoestrogens supplement if you aren't getting them from your foods. Phytoestrogens are found in soybeans, dong quai and red clover.
   
   
   
4. When it comes to drinks and beverages, reduce or avoid caffeine and alcohol. Herbal teas such as chrysanthemum and catnip produce a cooling effect. Drinking 8 glasses of water is necessary.
   
   
   
5. If you experience lack of energy and fatigue, banana and coconut water would help. Bananas contain glucose, fructose and sucrose and coconut water contains the primary electrolytes namely calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and manganese.
   
   
   
6. Eat a lot of foods that contain high amount of dietary fiber such as rye oats, brown rice and psyllium husk. Fiber helps control blood sugar, blood pressure and also cholesterol levels. Another one of the benefits of eating foods high in fiber or taking fiber supplement is that it helps control your appetite. Fiber makes you feel full faster and the feeling will last longer. This can help you prevent weight gain.

Natural remedies for menopause No. 3 - Vitamins for menopause

1. Vitamin E is highly recommended but not more than 400 IU a day. Examples of food sources high in vitamin E are wheat germ oil and dry roasted almonds. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and some of its benefits include supporting a healthy heart and circulatory system and also strengthens your immune system.
   
   
   
2. Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine is used as one of the natural remedies for menopause because it helps the body produce serotonin, dopamine and melatonin. This will result in a healthy nervous system and prevent moodiness and irritability. It may also help reduce the risk of depression, heart disease and osteoporosis. The safest suggested intake is no more than 100-200mg per day. Food sources of vitamin B6 are poultry, tuna and wheat bran.
   
   
   
3. Vitamin B3 or niacin is another one of the natural remedies for menopause especially when it comes to dealing with hot flashes, mild depression, fatigue and insomnia. The suggested dosage of vitamin B3 is between 50 to 100mg a day. You can get niacin from foods such as mushrooms, salmon and peanuts.
   
   
   
4. Vitamin D is important because it is necessary for proper absorption of calcium. Unless you are getting a lot of sun exposure, a daily intake of about 600mg of vitamin D can help prevent or reverse osteoporosis.

Natural remedies for menopause No. 4 - Adopt a healthier lifestyle

Doing regular aerobic exercise will help you burn calories and fats, manage stress, counter depression and help you sleep better. Strength training helps you build muscle mass and tone your body. Tai chi helps in reducing stress level, may reduce the risk of arthritis, manage blood pressure levels and improve the quality of sleep. There are specific yoga routines for menopause but even doing the normal yoga routines is beneficial because yoga helps calm nerves and relax the mind. Another change that you have to make is to reduce or quit smoking.

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